Dr Apoorva Sishtla VN
ABSTRACT: The various layers of the infamous marking nut, Anacardium has it’s very important yet special place- ranging from ancient civilizational uses to potentized drug formulation which served its purpose in many ways. In Indian civilizations, it was used as a method to write and create patterns on linen. Europeans called it the “marking nut” because washermen used it to mark the clothes before washing which left a water-insoluble mark. With it’s poisonous and toxic reactions from the juice and resin, Anacardium showed its picture. Through the wonderful art of potentisation, the heart shaped nut has found its righteous place in the Homoeopathic Materia medica with one of the most unique and striking symptoms. A proper compilation of the literature from homoeopathic stalwarts would help budding homoeopaths as well as practitioners to peruse through the complexities and symptomatology of this drug.
KEY WORDS: Anacardium Orientale, Anacardium, Marking Nut, Homoeopathy, Malacca Nut
INTRODUCTION: Semecarpous Anacardium, belonging to the Anacardiacae family, a deciduous tree native to India had a historical prescence in traditional medicine and ayurveda. The Homœopathic use is like a dry vegetable substances, it is brought by trituration to the millionth powder-attenuation, and then through dilution and shaking, its medicinal power is developed and potentized. Its skin symptoms are similar to Rhus tox, and it has proved a valuable antidote to Poison-Oak. It was later identified that the black nut with resin had many toxic components which brought upon various maladies ranging from erysipelas, eczema to ulcerations. It is known for reliving impaired memory and depression along with weakening of senses. It has an affinity on the digestive system and skin. Anacardium has many striking and peculiar mental generals which the drug more interesting to read and understand.
METHOD: Collection of literature from various stalwarts like Sameul Hahnemann, J.H. Clarke, M.L. Tyler, T.F. Allen, E.B. Nash and J.T. Kent compiled together with adequate explanations to provide the essence of the drug.
PROVING: Poison proving by men who accidentally came in contact with the juice, put out a lot of symptoms which led to whole new symptomatology which showed the true nature and essence of the nut. The effects of the poison were first manifested by an excessive inflammation of the affected part (the hands), accompanied with pain and an almost intolerable itching. This was followed by an eruption of small red pimples, which soon suppurated, bearing a close resemblance to the pustular eruption produced by croton oil.
Subsequently, On the inner side of each thigh at the upper part was a large, red, less sharply defined patch, with one or two transparent vesicles; and on the lower part of the abdomen were a few spots resembling those on the right hand and wrist.
MOST CHARACTERISTICS:
- Lack of confidence. A feeling of inferiority with efforts to prove or justify themselves.
- Easily offended or angered by contradiction, Irresistible desire to swear. Cruel.
- PEG LIKE SENSATION THROUGH OUT ALL BODY PARTS
- SENSATION OF A HOOP OR A BAND AROUND LIMBS AND BODY.
- Weakness of memory, Poor sense of reality – things feel like a dream.
- Confused identity – as if being two people with different wills or desires, one good and one bad.
- Gastritis and abdominal pain relieved by eating.
- ILLUSION of SMELL- DUNG OF PIGEON/CHICKENS
- Itching eczema relieved by hot water – as hot as can be stood.
- Poison ivy reactions with tremendous itching relieved by scalding water.
HAHNEMANN’S CHRONIC DISEASES:
Between the outer, shining black, heart-shaped and hard shell and the sweet kernel within, which is covered with a thin, brownish-red skin, this fruit contains in a tissue of cells a thickish, blackish juice, with which the Hindus indelibly mark their linen, and of such acridity, that even moles can be cauterized with it.
Marked characters are – Hypochondriac, troubled mood, unsociableness.
LACK OF MORAL SENSE (flagitiousness, impiety, inhumanity, hardheartedness)
A condition as if he had two wills, of which the one annuls what the other impels him to do. Sensation as if his spirit were unconnected with the body ; feeling of the head as after a debauch.
Extremely morose and ill-humoured.
He takes everything ill and becomes violent –Â Passionate and contrary.
In the afternoon, his memory is better than in the forenoon, although it is slow in yielding what it ought to yield at one ; still the understanding of what the reads is very easy to him, even if he cannot quite retain it.
– Great weakness of the memory; he cannot retain anything ; everything immediately slips from him.
– Difficult recollection ; nothing remains in his memory ; he has a lack of ideas, and loses his subject quickly and without perceiving it.
Dull pressure, as from a peg, on the left side of the crown. Constrictive headache in the forehead
– PAIN AS IF A PEG were driven in under the upper border of the orbit, touching the eyeball.
Delusion in smelling, as if the smelled lighted sponge, early on arising.
– CONSTANT SMELL BEFORE THE NOSE AS OF THE DUNG OF PIGEONS OR CHICKENS
-The sense of smell seems to have almost totally vanished, though the nose is not stopped
Loathing for food
– Constant growling and griping in the abdomen.
–Â Urging to stool, frequently during the day, without being able to discharge anything, for many days.
– Urging to stool, daily three times ; he felt urging, and when the then sat down, the urging was gone ; the rectum did not fulfil its functions ; and he had to use great force in evacuating the fæces, though they were soft.
DREAMS ABOUT FIRE, while his sleep is otherwise sound.
– Anxious dreams about conflagration.
– Dreams that the smelt burning tinder and sulphur, and on awaking the illusion continues, as the still thinks the smells them.
– She dreams about loathsome diseases of other people.
–Â Dreams of corpses, of a grave near, or of a precipitous abyss.
– Anxious dreams full of danger.
ALLEN’s ENCYCLOPEDIA
Men who came in contact with the nut juices started proving the crude drug on the physical level and it further helped us understand its true potential. In one week, his arm became red, and a number of small pimples appeared. In the night his face became swollen and red, and the next day the abdomen and thighs on which he had rested the arm were red. The left hand, forearm, and the lower half of the upper arm were swollen, and of a bright-red color, resembling that of erysipelas.
The redness and swelling affected both eyes (the left being quite closed), as well as the upper lip, the chin, and back of the right cheek, where there were a few isolated, raised, red spots. The color was sharply defined, and on the chin was a yellow crust resembling that of eczema. The eruption caused considerable itching
The skin became hot, inflamed, and of a deep-red color, this condition extending upward above the elbow, and occupying the whole of the anterior and under aspects of the limb. At first there was not much itching, but on the second day the itching was considerable, and so much aggravated at night as to prevent him sleeping. Two days later the arm was more swollen and tense, the redness deeper and more uniformly diffused; the color disappearing on pressure, and returning the instant the pressure was removed.
He is separated from the whole world, and has so little confidence in himself that he despairs of being able to do that which is required of him. When occupied with serious things he is obliged to laugh on account of a tickling at the pit of the stomach; when occupied with ludicrous things he is able to refrain from laughter.
Delusion – as if someone was pursuing him; he suspected everything around him. INDIFFERENT. LACK OF MORALE
A slight offence makes him excessively angry, breaking out in personal violence.
Great weakness of memory;Â cannot remember anything; forgets everything immediately.
Dull pressure, as from a PLUG, on the left side of the vertex. CONSTRICTIVE HEADACHES
Shortsightedness; he cannot distinguish anything at a distance.
ILLUSORY SMELL – AS OF BURNING TINDER, EARLY, WHEN RISING.
Constant smell before the nose, LIKE PIGEON OR CHICKEN DUNG, especially when smelling his clothes, or his body.
Pressure at the stomach after a meal, with a feeling of extreme exhaustion and lassitude, with great thirst
DURING DINNER, ALMOST ALL THE SYMPTOMS DISAPPEAR; THEY COME ON AGAIN TWO HOURS AFTERWARDS.
Pain around the navel, as if a blunt plug were squeezed into the intestines, continual rumbling in the abdomen, especially in the region of the navel,
Hypochondriac dejection after a meal; there is a pressure in the abdomen, from below upwards, and he feels extremely weak both in body and mind
Tenesmus; he cannot expel anything; the rectum seems to be plugged up.
Frequent tenesmus during the day, for many days, without ever being able to expel anything, Constant tenesmus; the expulsion not taking place immediately; there is a painful twisting and turning in the intestines, transversely across the abdomen
Pressure from without inwards, in the forearms here and there, short, painful.  Dull pressure, as from a plug, in the left glutei muscles.
Painful uneasiness around the knees, with sensation of stiffness, as if bandaged or made tense, when sitting.
Long stooping is followed by severe pains in the knees, and in the muscles above and below them, The knees feel paralyzed, with stiffness and great lassitude, so that he is scarcely able to walk. Pressure at the internal side of the knee.
KENT’s Explanation
Remedy full of strange ideas and notions.
Marked IRRITABILITY AND CURSING. BLASPHEMOUS CURSING.
IRRESOLUTION MARKS HIS CHARACTER.
He cannot decide especially if good or evil in action.
He hears voices commanding him to do evil. He is persuaded by his evil will to do acts of violence and injustice, but is withheld and restrained by a good will. So there is a controversy between two wills, between two impulses.
Hallucinations:Â A DEMON SITS ON ONE SHOULDER AND AN ANGEL ON THE OTHER.
Unsocial; complains of weak memory. Slight causes make him excessively angry.
A strong feature is that all moral feeling is taken out of him.
Cruel, malicious, wicked. LACK OF ANY MORALE. All morale feeling is taken out of him. Can do bodily injury without any feeling.
DELUSION OF PERSUCUTION.
COMPLAINTS BETTER BY EATING.
In Nux Vomica, the pain in abdomen is soon after eating, during digestion. But anacardium, is better by eating, During digestion, he is good. 2 to 3 hours after eating, his complaints come back again.
BAND LIKE SENSATION
PEG LIKE SENSATION THROUGH OUT ALL BODY PARTS
SENSATION OF A HOOP OR A BAND AROUND LIMBS AND BODY.
Skin resembles RHUS in many ways- erysipelas eruptions.
WARTS ON PALMS.
CLARKE’s EXPLANATION
Characteristics.─ Anacardium has many features in common with its botanical relatives, the different species of Rhus, especially in its action on THE SKIN, MUSCLES, AND JOINTS, but it has also very distinct features of its own.
A very characteristic SENSATION IS A PRESSING OR PENETRATING PAIN AS FROM A PLUG, which may occur in any locality in connection with neuralgias and ear affection, piles, &c., and whenever present Anacardium will probably be the remedy.
SENSATION OF A HOOP OR BAND AROUND THE BODY OR ABOUT ANY PART IS A LEADING SYMPTOM.
It has been used with success in diseases of the spinal cord with this sensation and the feeling of a plug in the spine, < by any motion which causes a pain as if the plug were sticking still further in. Paralysed feeling in knees. Sensation as if knees were bandaged.
The nut is heart-shaped, and perhaps this may be taken as the “sign” of its courage-imparting properties. It has at any rate won for itself a reputation in “examination funk” and allied conditions. Brain-fag. Loss of memory is very marked.
THE SENSES ARE EITHER TOO WEAK OR TOO ACUTE, “I cured with it a man who had a smell of burning wood in his nose, remaining after influenza.” Kent says.
Acting on Bayes’ indications, “FUNK BEFORE EXAMINATION,” “NERVE-EXHAUSTION FROM OVER-STUDY,” or sexual excess, Breyfogle had used the remedy with much success.
There is not the same < by rest and > by motion as with Rhus, but many symptoms are < by commencing motion (stiff-neck).
Piano-playing caused heaviness and fulness of the whole body.
Like Rhus, Anac. has chilliness, liability to take cold, sensitiveness to draughts, and > from warmth.
THE COUGH OFÂ ANAC. ISÂ BETTERÂ BY EATING. SYMPTOMS GENERALLYÂ BETTERÂ BY EATING; RECUR TWO HOURS AFTER.
Plug like sensation. “Feels as if a particle of food were in Ĺ“sophagus; swallows constantly to get rid of it.”
Anac. is suited to affections of the palms of the hands. There are warts even on the palms.
Want of appetite. ─Weakness of digestion. ─After a meal, hypochondriacal humour, heat of face, pressure and tension in the precordial region, in the stomach, and in the belly, inclination to vomit or to go to stool, repugnance to exertion, great fatigue and desire to sleep. ─Symptoms disappear after dinner; but begin again in two hours.
Painful piles (both blind and bleeding) in the anus. ─Itching in the anus. ─Oozing of moisture from the rectum. ─Fissures of the rectum.
Leucorrhœa, with itching and excoriation in the parts. ─Frequent but scanty menses, sometimes with spasmodic pains in abdomen. ─Nausea during pregnancy, better whilst eating.
Yawning after a violent fit of coughing.
NASH EXPLANATION – ANACARDIUM vs NUXVOMICA
It ought often to be used in that hydra-headed complaint called dyspepsia, for which Nux vomica is so indiscriminately used.
Both are excellent remedies, and it is only necessary to know the difference to make the choice between them easy. Anacardium has a pain in the stomach, which comes on only when the stomach is empty and is relieved by eating, while Nux vomica is relieved after the process of digestion is over. The pain of Nux vomica is worst two or three hours after meals, but lasts only until digestion is accomplished, and then comes relief, whereas, with Anacardium, this is the time when the suffering is worst.
STOOL of ANAC – has the desire, but not enough action to carry it out. Anac has a sensation of plug/ hoop,band like sensation. Not seen in Nux.
STOOL of NUX VOM – Has the desire, but with irregular or overreaction.
M.L. TYLER EXPLANATION
- MEMORY LOSS
- SENSE OF DUALITY AND UNREALITY
- PERVERSIONS
- BLASPHEMOUS AND CRUEL
- PECULIAR SENSATION like PLUG LIKE SENSATION- Bursting, binding, plugging.
- SMELLS: DUNG, BURNING WOOD.
- SENSATION OF HOOP/ BAND around body.
Everything he perceived has no reality. THINK HE IS DOUBLE – MIND BODY SEPERATED.
Stranger is at his side. Strange forms accompany him.
Husband is not hers, Her child is not hers. SCREAMS LOUDLY. Swears- “he is demon”
GUERNSEY says – “IMPAIRED MEMORY” He says there so few remedies in M.M. that are so characteristic. Forgets everything, consciousness takes away the appetite.
Cursing. Swears.
FIXED IDEAS. –that he is double, that he is being persecuted, that strangers at is side, husband is not hers, child is not hers, suspects everyone etc.
Suitable in RELIGIOUS MANIA when the conflict between external and internal will.
CONCLUSION
Understanding a drug from the eyes of stalwarts help us in understanding the whole essence of the remedy. It would enhance our knowledge and also deepen the meaning behind the usage of the drug. The study of any drug, in this scenario, Anacardium, through the source books help us identify the case and would help us in quick prescription without pondering on the correct possible similia.
REFERENCES:
- Allen T F. A Handbook of Materia Medica and Homoeopathic Therapeutics. 1889.
- Kent, J. T. “Lecture on Materia Medica.” B Jain Publishers Pvt Ltd.
- Tyler ML. Homoeopathic drug pictures. B. Jain Publishers; 1990.
- Boericke W. New manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory. B. Jain Publishers; 2002.
- J H Clarke; A Dictionary of practical Materia medica, B Jain Publishers, 1902
- A repertory of Hering’s guiding symptoms of our materia medica. Knerr, C. B., Philadelphia, F.A. Davis co.
- S, (1896) The Chronic Diseases. Philadelphia, Boericke & Tafel.
Dr. Apoorva Sishtla V.N,
MD Scholar, Department of RepertoryGuru Mishri Homeopathic Medical College and hospital, Shelgaon
Dr. Sujit Pal,
PG Guide, Department of Repertory
Be the first to comment